Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) has been under investigation for bribery for some time now, but this weekend his profile got elevated to a level he'd probably just as soon avoid.
AP reports that the FBI has videotaped evidence from last year of Jefferson accepting money from a businesswoman.
The FBI revealed Sunday that Rep. William Jefferson, under investigation for bribery, was videotaped accepting $100,000 in $100 bills from an FBI informant whose conversations with the lawmaker also were recorded. Agents later found the cash hidden in his freezer, according to a court document released Sunday.
Yes, in the freezer. Justice is best served cold, I suppose?
As for the $100,000, the government says Jefferson got the money in a leather briefcase last July 30 at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington. The plan was for the lawmaker to use the cash to bribe a high-ranking Nigerian official -- the name is blacked out in the court document -- to ensure the success of a business deal in that country, the affidavit said.
Jefferson has not been charged, and he maintains his innocence. He is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, and the FBI searched his office the day before the videotape announcement. Check out the New Orleans Times-Picayune for a more detailed covering of the story and the history of the investigation.
We can only wait as the FBI and the Ethics Committee conduct their investigations. One thing's for sure, however -- Rep. Jefferson had better get used to the spotlight.
